Every couple of years there is a new entire vilified food group to eschew fervently in the name of health. In the '90s, we'd go hungry before ingesting a full-fat salad dressing. In the early aughts, carbs were as anathema to us as full-coverage lipstick was at the time. Nutrition inspiration has progressed from a stream of cult-of-personality diet doctors to anthropological groups to emulate: Pritikin, Atkins, South Beach, Dukan, Mediterranean, Paleo. And the obsession du jour is all about gluten-free or dairy-free choices. When it comes to nourishing oneself, it's easy to be totally mystified as to what actually constitutes a balanced diet. How relevant is the food pyramid so dutifully studied in elementary schools the world over to what we should actually consume?

We caught up with nutrition expert Heather Bauer, who is the founder of Bestowed (think Birchbox for healthy snacks) to make sense of it all. Read on to learn her nutritionist-approved grub, groceries to keep handy, and simple heat-and-eat options for busy weeknights.